230 HEREDITY. 



chus. But, above all that company of spirits, there 

 is One whom most of us call Master, and who, as I 

 believe, is yet in the world. He speaks to us when- 

 ever conscience speaks with the still small voice, and 

 he whispers to us imperatively ; and yet we treat his 

 words with as little honor as we do those of experi- 

 ence itself. By and by we shall render in our ac- 

 count, and it will be said to us, " Depart ! for ye saw 

 me in need of clothing and religious instruction at the 

 North End in Boston, at the Five Points in New 

 York, at the Seven Dials in London, in the fau- 

 bourgs of Paris, in New Orleans, in Chicago, in San 

 Francisco ; and ye knew that my poor were in need, 

 and likely to be more and more in need; and ye 

 passed by on the other side." There is little con- 

 demnation more severe in poignancy than that which 

 will come to the Christian on his dying bed, if he 

 has neglected the opportunity of imitating his Lord 

 by going about from house to house, caring for the 

 poor. [Applause.] 



THE LECTURE. 



An Arabian philosopher said, " O God, be kind 

 to the wicked ! Thou hast been sufficiently kind to 

 the good in making them good." We are surprised 

 to find that an infant which has done no evil may 

 inherit evil. A human being is presumably innocent 

 on coming into the world ; but we often bring with 

 us most terrific predispositions, such as inflict upon 

 us unhappiness throughout life. Bad traits descend 

 by inheritance, but so do good traits ; and if, there- 



